Arts Tribune: Chandigarh-India
04/23/1999 , By Nonika Singh
Capturing Punjab ‘rooh’
By Nonika Singh
At a point when the musical world is permeating with heavy metallic sounds and western influences, it’s time to pause and take stock of our vast musical inheritance, the priceless legacy, which, alas, is slowly being asphyxiated to death”. So ruminates Chandigarh’s celebrated photographer Diwan Manna whose exhibition of photo prints titled “Rooh Punjab di” encapsulating myriad facets of Punjabi folk music opens on Friday at the Sector 17 piazza. Punjabi singers of different genre – Sufi Dhadi, googa maarhi, raagi dhadi, and the riveting ‘baabeyan da giddha’ in which 15 or so elderly men dance and play diverse instruments – have all been captured through Diwan’s third eye, in the 220 odd photographs being displayed.
Essentially an ethnographic study the exhibition incidentally is precursor to a book to be published soon. Traversing the entire length breadth of Punjab, Diwan’s photographic journey comprised a meeting with dilruba players, discovery of ustaad of dholak Mangat Ram, an interface with late Yamala Jat’s (the great musical doyen of ‘ektaara’ fame) family.
Though the exhibition features household names like Gurmeet Bawa, Hans Raj Hans, Mohammed Siddiqu, Diwan has deliberately kept the focus on unsung heroes for they alone have the gumption and spirit to keep the tradition alive sans remuneration. So, when it came to blowing up pictures, lesser-known names like Mal Singh (now no more) and Banarsi Dass scored over musical heavy weights.
For the man behind the camera whose pictures adorn international galleries and who believes a photograph must go beyond mere recording of events, the exhibition most certainly is not a culmination of his creative potential. Nevertheless, it is childhood revisited. Always a discerning “shrota” while recalling days when he climbed up trees to have a glimpse of his musical icons, this was an opportunity to listen to the musical stalwarts from the closest vantage point.
Sure Diwan’s innate skill is more than palpable in the picture quality and clarity. Besides the use of special technique (enhancing the yellow and red) brings forth the effusive warmth emanating from the musician’s persona. So, Puran Shah Koti’s (today better known as guru of his famous disciple Hans Raj Hans) profound visage, staring out of a black backdrop remains etched on your mind’s lens. Diwan syas,” I ruled out experimental form of photography for I wanted to capture the purity of expression, especially that moment of high in their musical odyssey when oblivious to their environment, the musicians are connected to the supreme power”. Of course thrown in the exhibition are many a stolen moment straight out of their mundane everyday existence. Working on the project for nearly three months, he caught several glimpses of the personal lives of these extraordinary people.
Remarks Diwan, “Interaction with them was a humbling experience. For there they were caught in a quagmire of poverty, yet deriving sheer bliss from their God-gifted talent unmindful of its (lack of) market value”. One day he aspires to click some more hoping that it would bring them recognition (their legitimate due). But for now he perceives this exhibition as their moment of glory and not another feather on his own cap.
